Letters to the editor for Thursday, August 22, 2019: Attack on environmental rules, catch and release response, solving climate change.Sign in or Subscribe to view this content.

Attack on environmental rules and regulations

While we are distracted by tweets and the turmoil in the news, we seem to be unaware and lack cognizance of what the administration is doing for the industries and corporations that support it. They are using the office of the president, agencies and departments to dismantle the rules and regulations that were created to protect the citizens of this country.

Our future and the future of our families and our families families will be jeopardized by actions taken by this administration. We as citizens have a responsibility to read, to investigate, to question and to demand that our government — both federal and local — and our news organizations keep us informed and take actions to keep us safe.

Nancy GilbertDurham

Catch and release response

Without specifically mentioning Deirdre Fleming (or the Portland Press Herald), John Holyoke basically disses her and her whole very well done article in his recent piece, “Catch and Release not to blame for togue population explosion.”

He mentions putting “perfectly edible togue back in the water.” If he had read her whole article, he would have noticed that many fisherman really don’t consider togue to be great table fare — part of the reason they are so hard to manage.

Flemming also shed some light on some of the other fisheries in trouble (like Aziscohos Lake)

and the importance of the forage (feed) for fish to thrive. All in all, her piece was informative

and insightful, and stands in stark contrast to Holyok’s response — of which the only effect on me was somnambulism.

Stuart S. SmithMaster Maine GuideWayne

Solving climate change

I moved to Maine as an enthusiastic 22-year-old, eager to meet new people and learn more skills. Working here in the energy efficiency field, I have found a community of hardworking, resourceful, and resilient people who band together to help one another and get projects done. In this time of a changing climate, we as a community need these traits more than ever.

We need neighbors helping one another winterize their homes; we need UMaine engineers researching how our state can lead in developing floating wind turbines. We need state leaders Rep. Jared Golden, Sen. Susan Collins, and Sen. Angus King to be bold in their actions to preserve what makes Maine such an amazing place to be: the lobster industry, the great skiing slopes, the abundant natural resources — all threatened by climate change.

I urge legislators to support a carbon fee and dividend, such as H.R. 763, which would place a fee on carbon but give it right back to the people, protecting our low- and moderate- income families while effectively lowering carbon emissions. And I urge every citizen to lend a hand, starting with lessening your own carbon emissions, but also helping your neighbors and fighting for clean energy bills and opportunities across the state.

If I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that Mainers can do anything they set their minds to. Let’s make it solving climate change.